Crossroads
by xNightCallingx
Summary: Ash finally comes back after a year of not being with his one love - Mary-Lynnette. She has been waiting his return. An new attack on soulmates before the apocalypse has got him concerned though his return might rekindle their love once more.
1. Chapter 1: Graduate

Disclaimer:_ I do not own these characters. This is my own version of the continuation of _Daughters of Darkness_ from the _Night World Series_. Previous storlines and characters were made up by L.J. Smith, I do not take credit for them. This also happens before one of the L.J. Smith 'stories' _Those Who Favor Fire.

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_Please Review! I appreciate the comments, thank you. _

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**Mary-Lynnette**

My mind wandered as the valedictorian stood up for her final speech to our graduating class. She clutched onto her note cards, nervous to skip any word though it hardly mattered. Her speech could have consisted of the one word "goodbye" and the whole audience would've engaged in an uproar of applause. As soon as her mouth parted, I was instantly daydreaming about other things.

The small class of 112 was packed into the school gymnasium. Half of the class was dwindling their fingers, waiting for the chance to drink the night away in celebration while the other half listened intently to the speaker. All of them waiting for the chance to fling their caps up in the air. My attention wandered off to the bleachers covered with anxious parents.

But only a few stuck out above all of the rest.

Three dazzling sisters stuck out in the crowd, illuminated like firecrackers. Their presence was bewildering. Rowan sat patient, with her dark hair swaying down past her shoulders. Kestrel was clearly bored with the annual tradition of graduation, just waiting for a chance to flirt with the seniors. Jade, the wild one, clutched onto Mark's shoulder like a cat ready to pounce. I still couldn't believe they came.

One face was missing from their family however.

"Congratulations, class. We did it." The speech was finished with a cliché line as everybody jumped up, hats in hands. As the crowd stood up in applause, caps cluttered the air. I threw mine later than everyone else's, my reflexes clearly nothing to brag about. As everybody scattered to find their hats, I left mine despite the fact I paid 30 dollars for it. I dodged getting a congratulatory hug from my father and raced over to the Redfern sisters.

"Mare!" Jade hollered, though I hated the nickname. Kestrel had vanished, not to my surprise. It was probably like pulling teeth to get her to come here in the first place. Jade and Rowan floated off of the bleachers, pulling along Mark as he pounded down the steps.

"So how does it feel to not be a senior anymore?" Mark asked as he gestured for a hug.

"About the same." I cracked a smile in response. I looked into Mark's beady eyes after I clung onto him for a hug. It just hit me that this might be something that Mark might never get to do. The apocalypse was something I was reminded of everyday, and they made it sound so _inevitable. _If the Night World was in Mark's future who knows if he even wanted to bother with finishing high school.

Me, on the other hand, felt there was no reason why I shouldn't continue on with my education. I had came to this conclusion after I had a hysteric breakdown the night before my last class. It was clear that_ he_ wasn't coming back for me. My heart burned just thinking about it again. If Mark wanted to devour himself into Jade's world he was more than welcome, it just isn't in the cards for me.

"We even got invited to a couple of after graduation parties." Rowan's eyebrows raised as the very thought intrigued her. They didn't even need to go to the school and they were already getting invitations. I wasn't surprised however, their presence was like a glowing light in a dark room, impossible to ignore.

"Is that where Kestrel has run off too?" I suggested, assuming the worst. After the whole Jeremy dilemma back when we all first met, Kestrel has taken nothing seriously. She took after her brother in manipulation and petty flirtation.

"Pretty much. If we leave her here we might have a pack of single boys begging on our door later." Rowan flushed, cautious about her sister's frivolity. Kestrel stood, tall and strong, snatching a boy's graduation hat without hesitation and placing neatly atop her hair. The boy laughed with an attempt to flirt.

I shrugged slightly. "Well you can all feel free to go, I might join as well." I slipped my gown off, letting my hair slip down my back. "Anything has to be better than what my father has planned." Actually I was almost positive that my father didn't have _anything _planned. My father didn't have the party planner vibe and my stepmother wasn't really jumping at the opportunity.

"I would like to go." Jade sprung to life. Their lives were so different in the Night World that whenever they had a taste of something different – something _human_ – the idea fascinated them. Rowan was the only one who was wary about it. They were still apart of their world, laying low was something they needed to be careful with. Yet, after living off of goats for the past year they deserved some sort of reward.

"Jade taking a step out of her comfort zone?" Kestrel chimed in, still sporting the boy's cap. Jade slouched back from her sister's reaction.

"Kestrel..." Rowan warned folding her eyebrows. Mark clutched onto his girlfriend in a protective stance. His awkwardness never really shot him to popularity.

"I'm just saying – I really don't see why we can't have a little celebration for Mary-Lynnette." Kestrel lied through her teeth, I bet even saying my name was strenuous for her. She has never really been impressed with me or the life we led in Briar Creek. But any excuse she could use to get Rowan to loosen up she would take.

"That's Kenny Meyers. He's the kicker on our football team." Mark pointed out the blatant obvious while pointing his finger.

"Yeah, yeah." Kestrel brushed it off, clearly not caring. Reputation never mattered – she could have anyone she wanted. "Well his brother has a house over by the college and he's invited us to go. I just know that _I_ have plans Friday night." Kestrel smiled wide.

"Mary-Lynnette, you do deserve a good celebration, I only wish that I could give you one." Rowan sighed sincerely. Her lip ducked underneath her teeth and she bit on it lightly.

"It's just graduation." I replied, knowing they knew what I meant. If the world were to end soon, a diploma isn't going to mean anything. There's still hope, the sisters tell me, though the specifics are always vague. The only person who would give me any details isn't here...

"Fantastic. I'll go tell him we'll be there." Kestrel skipped away, hovering over the wooden floor. We watched her part the crowd like spitting wildfire.


	2. Chapter 2: Vodka

The night sky was filled with clear stars, highlighted by a faded moon. My favorite telescope was tucked away in it's case, hiding underneath my bed. It's strange – I can't remember the last time I pulled it out. I felt isolated up on the hill behind my father's house. Almost like the world encased me like a snow globe and I was just waiting for someone to pick it up and give it a good shake. The horizon looked like it was only miles away, like if I ran fast enough I could catch up to it.

Mark had left me to be alone with the stars only minutes ago, but it felt like hours. I gazed down at the slink of a dress that Jade had dolled me up in. It was loose at the shoulders but arched down in the middle like an hourglass. There was no back to the dress, it looped down past my shoulder blades. I shivered as the wind traced against the small of my back.

"Still out here?" my dad hiked up the hill, with no need to rush. His eyes were dark like Mark's, but the way they wandered reminded me of mine. I tilted, hiding my blush. I can easily get lost up here.

"Sorry, dad. I know that you and Claude want to spend as much time with me as you can. You know I can't stay away from the night sky though." I guessed to what he was most likely thinking.

"Kid, you know I'm so proud of you." He leaned for a side hug as he draped my hair back. With a quick kiss to my head, he raised back to beam a smile towards me. "I can't help noticing that you've been distant. Not that I ever worry about you." He nicked my nose with the tip of his finger. "I just look at what you've become, and I know you'll do even better things when you go off to college. Even if you do get lost in the sky every now and then."

I've had my cheesy father daughter moments before. One time involving what happens between a man and a woman which I hope to God one day I'll forget. But, I couldn't help looking at my father and seeing his heart open up. And I didn't find it cheesy, I found it humbling. I've told him before that he's never steered me wrong in my life choices. Though most of them were beyond his knowledge of what truly goes bump in the night, I knew he would've helped make it better in the long run. If only he know.

A lump formed in my throat as I pleaded with myself not to tell him.

It would be easy for me to throw myself at his knees and beg him to always be careful. Ironic, isn't it? A _daughter_ telling her_ father _to be careful of the things he knows nothing about?

Instead of spilling the truth in desperate sobs, I whispered the only thing I could manage.

"Thanks, Dad." I crumbled in his arms.

"Oh. And if you do any sort of drugs tonight? I'll kill you."

"Oh my gosh, Dad."

"Yep, skinned alive." He answered sarcastically as I waltzed slowly down the hill. "And if you meet any boys, can you actually just turn the opposite direction?" My dad continued as I waved him to stop.

With a laugh I repeated the line I always use with him, "I know, Dad."

"Mary-Lynnette. You look stunning." Rowan's eyes narrowed as she realized what I was wearing. Jade glowed with pride of her masterpiece.

"Well, this is sort of a once and a life time opportunity, so marvel in it." I contorted, laughing at their reaction. Though I don't even know why they felt it was necessary. Rowan looked like a goddess with her hair polished back with braids, ending in a stylish bun. Her dress draped across her whole body, accentuating her height. I couldn't even imagine her beauty _with_ makeup. Jade was just as stunning. Her blonde hair was pin straight and folded at her sides. Her dress was a deep jade – irony, again – and was cut just above her knees.

I would've gladly worn a T-shirt and jeans to the event, but the sisters insisted. Where they came from they probably only wore dresses.

"So can vampires drink alcohol?" I asked, pulling down the bottom of my dress.

"Heavens yes!" Rowan announced quickly, relieving herself of her usual controlled-self. "I mean – what do you think Ash -" She quickly held her breath at the name.

My heart raced and my cheeks burned uncontrollably.

I was so glad she didn't finish that sentence.

"I'm sorry. I mean – yes. It's one of the ways some like to, 'get away from it all'" She answered, as if it was something humans knew nothing about. She was so profound and wise I had to remember that she was still a virgin to the human lifestyle.

"I feel like tonight is going to be interesting." I stated, unsure of the sisters' drinking habits. Last time I had a drink was at a New Years Eve party junior year. One of my friends had gotten champagne from her older sister and insisted on splitting it. I had to admit, I never got into the whole scandalous teen-thing that everyone else seems to be falling in to. Not that I thought the people were _ignorant _about it – it's life. I just usually shrugged it off.

The bigger picture, is what I always remind myself.

"Please tell me we are ready to leave." Kestrel walked down the stairs and I almost choked on my own gasp. The black dress was skin tight – clinging to her every perfection. It was long sleeved and clung around her neck – leaving some things to the imagination. The dress was cropped just at her thighs and her legs seemed endless. She finished off the ensemble with a pair of black heels with red soles. Her hair flamed down her back in countless layers.

Jade and Rowan didn't even flinch as they both replied, "Yes."

The car ride was silent, but I knew their minds were buzzing. Rowan, Kestrel and Jade shared a telepathy I was in the dark about. As soon as Jade would release a giggle or Kestrel would peak out of the corner of her eye I knew there was communication. The only words uttered were about where they were going.

Oregon University is about a 20 minute drive. While Brair Creek is lifeless, the university is a hot spot for life. I've never driven there to be honest, not even for a college visit. The idea of living in Orgeon for four more years makes me want to pull my hair out. As soon as we turned the corner onto Chestnut Street, we could hear the shouting and music. The sidewalks lined with students now and then, eagerly hustling their way downtown.

The house was corroded like a college house. Draped across the porch was a banner reading 'Congratulations' already covered with graffiti. Students crowded the lawn, playing games and spilling beer continuously.

"Kestrel I don't know if this is a good idea. I figured this was more -" she filched as she looked back at me "_high school."_ She finished.

"It is. It's just that his brother is in college and he took the initiative of hosting it. Now is that so bad?" Kestrel flashed a wild smile. Being of the supernatural, it was clear that nothing scared her. She was out for something to be dangerous, something to turn the tables on her. She's swallowing _boring_ over and over she's just waiting to spit it out. Since the Night World community was more big-city located she zoned in on the next best thing. Humans.

Rowan snatched her arm and whipped her back. "You know we're supposed to _lay low_, Kestrel." Her eyes changed from a crisp black to a flash of gold.

"I've been laying _low."_ Kestrel whipped her arm back. I noticed people pointing at our car. I saw Kenny, Kestrel's new interest, mouth the words "there she is" to his eager friend. "Our brother flirts with all of Las Vegas and _I'm _the one who needs to lay low? There's a reason Ash lived the way he did until Miss Goodie over here sizzled his cool and it wasn't just because humans _taste_ so good. I want a good time."

Her words stung, but I refused to falter. I know Kestrel, even though she refuses to admit it. She has heart, she's just dealing with her wild frustration.

Rowan looked as if Kestrel had slapped her across the face. "Fine." She gave in with strong posture. As soon as her sister leaped out of the car, she folded. Jade and Rowan must have shared a few inner words before they parted their lips to speak.

"It'll be fine, Rowan. I mean where are we? Oregon? There's nothing going on here." Jade was itching for some excitement too, I could hear it in her tone. Kestrel danced in front of the drooling boys, taking a shot from another intrigued follower. She could dive herself into anything.

"We can't do anything rash, Jade. And we can't let her do anything rash." Rowan suggested, gesturing toward her firecracker of a sister.

"Scout's honor." Jade promised, already clutching onto the handle of the car. When Rowan opened the front door, Jade and I came bounding out. Jade flooded into the house, ignoring the boys and taking part in the dancing. New gasps arose in the crowds as Rowan approached the porch.

"And this is my sister!" Kestrel gestured toward Rowan. Rowan lightly played along. "She was thinking about coming here for school, what do you think?" This was all a game to her. She just didn't _care._

"You are incredible." The lame guy with a tousled mane croaked out the only line he could manage. His face was still frozen in awe as Kestrel laughed with her head thrown back. The boy handed Rowan a beer, but she waved it aside politely.

I climbed up the stairs on my way to find Jade. Her presence was made known when she struck the living room floor, whipping her hair to the rhythm of the blaring music. Boys' eyes goggled with infatuation as the girls grew like wallflowers stuffed with envy. The rug was her stage and she didn't even care that she was alone. A guy with a nose piercing advanced on her, but she flicked him away like he was a pestering fly.

No wonder vampires liked to party so much. Nothing was really scary to them.

There wasn't anything that humans could pull that would be threatening to them. Unless a vampire hunter stepped through the crowd, they were golden. The life of the party until they decided they didn't want to be it anymore. It was as if they were born to do it.

"Take a shot!" a boy screamed in my ear. His grubby hand lashed out at my face, holding a shot glass of clear liquor. "Come on, there's no reason someone like you should be empty handed."

"Oh no thank you." My brush-off wasn't as nearly as effective. The guy had the looks, however. Nothing inhuman, of course. His hair was cropped short and his jaw stood out, showing off his strong jawline. His teeth were pearly and his smile stretched from ear to ear.

"Not much of a drinker?"

"I just graduated high school." I blurted out the truth, hoping it wasn't something he found appealing. Instead, he smiled and took a shot for himself.

"Well congratulations. How does it feel not being a senior anymore?"

"I think I'm going to start charging _money _for every time I get asked that question." His laugh was infectious, almost like it drew me in. Jeremy's face flashed through my head and this guy reminded me of him. Not of the _evil_ Jeremy. But of the one I used to know. The one I used to _like. _

"Sorry. Kenny's brother and I go way back. You must have just graduated with him. I've had my visits to Briar Creek." he started up conversation.

"Nothing to spectacular, is it?"

"I don't know. Sometimes small towns are nice like that. Places where you can actually see the stars." I twisted at his words. Something I never would've expected him to say just rolled off his tongue and into my lap. I couldn't tell if he was just flirting to get into my pants or not, but for one second I was truly taken aback.

It didn't matter, the next few seconds were a blur.

Shouting came from the front lawn as people scurried back inside. My head snapped to the front door, anticipating Kestrel to burst through, drunken boys on each arm.

What I didn't expect was _him. _

The lean cat-like body edged into the door frame, intimidating every guy in the foyer. His hair was perfectly bronzed just the way I remember it. His hands formed tight fists, flexing the muscles on each arm. His jaw was clenched, forming his mouth into a perfect straight line. I watched as Jade stopped dancing in the middle of a move, head held at attention.

"Ash?" her lips formed the words.

As our eyes locked, I wanted to cry.

I turned back to the boy with my full attention. "Can I still have that shot?"


	3. Chapter 3: Forrester

**Two Days Earlier **

**Ash**

"They're attacking soulmates." Forester stated so matter of fact. The women of LA flocked to them like desperate seagulls, starving for some leftovers. As the skinny blond wrapped her legs around him, he continued with a straight face.

"What?" Though the 'attacking soulmates' twisted at my core, the word_ they_ left me wondering. It was funny how the desperate girls didn't appeal to me anymore. In fact, _no_ girls appealed to me anymore. The girl was beyond gorgeous, her hair booming with volume and her dress might as well have been lingerie. She actually came to me first, offering me more than just alcohol, but there was no hesitation in brushing her away. "I like brunettes" I muttered, with disdain. The girl pouted, as if she'd never been declined for something a day in her life, and moved onto the next attractive man she could find.

That man happened to be the man sitting next to me.

Collin Forrester was skilled at his craft. Almost as good as me. He's a made vampire, but he quickly gained respect from the lamia. Ever since he was made, he immediately presumed that being a vampire meant living large. Quinn always gave him the brush off, saying he was a fool for thinking he was so _above the law_.

I, on the other hand, liked him.

His tenacity was through the roof and he always promised a good time. Although, I've been avoiding the wild lifestyle, Forrester helped me keep my sanity.

"I _swear_ any other Cirlce besides the good ones are just kidding themselves." He flicked his wrist at me, laughing silently. Once the girl started getting curious, he gave her money and told her to buy herself a drink. "Now _that's_ a body you don't get to see much of anymore."

"Collin!" Though I was in complete agreement, I had to remember the mission at hand.

"I'm not supposed to be talking to you about this, Ash." he stated, more seriously. His voice hovered over the music, but it still wasn't loud enough for human ears. This was it, if I push hard enough he's bound to crack.

"And why is that?" I cracked a malicious smile.

"You know why. Also Quinn is on the list and you're linked to him." I watched as Forrester came to the realization that he was never much of a follower of rules. "All of the Wild Powers have been found, we know this. Yet, a group has been formed hoping to _eliminate _the front line."

"The front line?" I asked. Forrester leaned forward with his hands clasped, wanting the conversation over.

"_You, _you deranged fool. You and your Daylight groupies."

"Daybreak."

"Whatever."

"Goddamnit Collin, it's no joke." I was tired of his laid-back carelessness. One, because it was obnoxious and two, because I somewhat envied it. Wasn't that my persona? Keeping with the law, but also having that I-don't-care attitude? So much has changed.

"Look around you, Ash. The strong are falling for their heart and not sticking with their gut. Your cousin James faltered like a puppy dog, Quinn has managed to lose his head-strong morality and Thierry -"

"You are out of line!" I shouted above the music. Some people turned to glare. I could only imagine what they were seeing. Some people inched away, waiting for me to blow. "Thierry is all about the mission, for him and his companions. Hannah has done nothing but made him stronger."

Forrester arched his eyebrows, curious about my outburst.

"Well this Cirlce – this clan – was formed to take down this front line of yours. And how do they do this? Easy. By taking their soulmates it leaves them vulnerable. They want you all eliminated – the rest is sort of downhill from there." Forrester leaned back, ready to forget the conversation's existence. He waved over the girl, gushing over him from the sidelines.

"I like you man, I really do." Forrester smiled.

I nodded and got up, snatching up my leather jacket.

"Where you going?" He spread his arms out wide.

"I have to take a trip." I sighed, getting annoyed with my surroundings. He rolled his eyes in defeat. "Oh, and Forrester? If you ever insist on insulting them again, I won't even flinch when I personally pull you apart."

I walked away sliding on my jacket as Forrester's wild laughter echoed behind me.


	4. Chapter 4: Urges

**Ash**

He was right. As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. I closed my cellphone and threw it in the back seat with a sigh of distress. Quinn hated the idea. _I don't trust anything that comes out of that snake's mouth, _he had responded. He could have been lying, I'm not entirely stupid. The only thing that was rocking my brain was that he was _right. _

We're the elite. The _front line, _as he had referred to us. Getting us out of the way would leave everything wide open. The world is as good as dead without anybody in the leader's chair. Especially seeing as how most of the world is in the dark about it. We've never had a weakness until now. Our human counterparts. Revenge would be burning through our blood, the apocalypse a side note.

I know what I have to do.

It's too early, I figured. I knew I would come back to her when the moment was right. When I felt that I had finally redeemed my brutal reputation. It's not that I wasn't aching to go back to the place that splintered my life. Oregon has a big red X over it in my mind's map. Whenever I pass signs for Oregon on the expressway it takes everything inside of me to not pull my car around.

I still have nothing to prove. I could still see the blood forever on my hands.

But, for now, that didn't matter. I have to take the precaution. I would never forgive myself if I just let this slide.

I can get there in less than a day.

There's no need to involve my sisters. I've had enough trouble keeping them under the radar. If I couldn't get them to come back before I doubt they would want to now. Besides, they're not the reason I'm coming back.

_Mary-Lynnette_.

Even though trouble was brewing, I couldn't help getting excited. I've lived for so long and nothing has ever _excited _me more. If my heart was able to beat, it already be tearing through my chest.

I winced. She's probably graduated by now. I haven't really been a trophy boyfriend, I take full blame for that. While she's living her human life, I'm frozen.

It doesn't matter. I have to do my best to save her.

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The roads of Oregon were the same. Dusty strips of land stretched out for miles leading to a deserted horizon. My car wheezed as I pushed it past it's limit. Nightfall was creeping up on me as I raced it to my destination. On the trip I battled with myself on reasons why I shouldn't go back, yet I never turned the car around. Not calling my sisters might have been a mistake. They could have watched over her until I got there.

The first road I turned down was lined with trees. Memories flashed through me as I thought of Jeremy's flesh rotting in that car and Mary-Lynnette's face when we first kissed. It was all flowing back to me at once. I couldn't help looking up into the sky as the sun disappeared.

_Hopefully she still goes breathless every time she looks up at night. _

I passed by the old farm my sisters now lodge in. I could still smell their presence, though they weren't in there at the moment. The old woman's farm had it's own flare to it now, no doubt thanks to Jade. If her and Mark are still together, I'd be shocked. I've never been truly close to my sister, but she is a wild firecracker waiting to go off.

I thought of Rowan's statuesque exterior and her motherly interior. I could see her running the household, making Kestrel blow a fuse. Their personalities were all so different, disagreements were bound to happen. They were so sheltered until their breakout into this whole new world of freedom.

I couldn't help breaking a smile, letting the old Ash leak through.

They can't handle the things that I can.

Finally I reached it. The two story house stood exactly the way I had left it. Not seeing Mary-Lynnette's telescope peaking through her curtains worried me.

I hope my star-gazer hasn't left me for a bigger dream.

I raced up the car and tiptoed up the steps. It was a little past 11, but the lights were on. I tapped lightly on the door. If her dad answered, I didn't have anything prepared. This was all happening so suddenly I didn't exactly have anything prepared. Would they even recognize me? I never really properly introduced myself to her father as someone who would always protect her.

_Trophy boyfriend yet again, _I sarcastically thought to myself.

"Holy..." Mark cussed as he slid open the front door.

_Good, _I was relieved. _This makes it easier. _

"What are you _doing?"_ he asked, shock still draining the blood from his face. Well, at least I wasn't erased from his memory. His face went from shock to brotherly concern. I don't have time for this.

"Is she here?"

"No." I wanted to grab his collar and twist his neck for information. I would never allow Mark to be the thing in between me and her. I admired his family devotion, but his trust for me wasn't too strong. Instead I rolled my eyes and began again.

"Where did he go?"

"Can I ask why you -"

"No. I really don't have time for that." And it was true. Though I doubted anyone was out to get her at this very moment, I needed to get to her for my own sanity. I was assuming that my urgency let him know that it was something of importance. Hopefully his human intelligence was worth something. He arched his eyebrows and leaned forward.

"If you explain it to me in the car I'll take you to them." Just what I need. A sidekick.

"They?" I want to force him in the car without blackmail. A human trying to make a deal with a notorious vampire? This is something new.

"The sisters. They all went to a graduation party up by the university. I doubt they're in any sort of trouble." I shook my head – not caring for his opinion.

"I don't care. Come with me." I turned and headed back toward the car, not waiting for him to get his coat.

I opened up the door to the convertible for him and jumped over to the driver's side. Mark looked at me impressed. It just hit me that I never really spent time with Mare's brother. I guess it was best for him that I tone it down a bit. He was risking his life too.

The drive was miserable. It wasn't that Mark was a bad guy, in fact, once I got past his awkwardness I found him interesting. It was the fact that I had to fudge a little details. I stuck to the only things that he already knew. The apocalypse and my ever growing concern for his sister. Whenever he brought up questions such as 'why now?' or 'why did you wait so long?' I pushed them under the rug. He caught on quickly, surprisingly. I also stood clear of any questions about Mare, though I was dying to ask.

"I almost went, that's how I know the address, but the idea of belligerent frat boys wasn't really appealing." Mark stated, weaving me through the side streets. I laughed. I hated the idea too, though I could see my sisters' curiosity in it.

As soon as I saw the party, I jumped out of the car without even caring to turn it off. I heard Mark's hysterics from behind me, but it didn't matter. I could _smell_ her. Even through the aroma of sweat and dried beer, I could smell her. It was like a homing device driving me to my destiny. My reason for living.

I passed by Kestrel and Rowan on the way in. They shrieked with surprise, not sure of what to think.

"Hey man, do I know you?" I heard one of the boys shout. I looked at him with disgust. How easy it would be to just rip his head off. I stormed through the door, hearing the gasps of awe surround me. Even though half the boys in the room wanted to shred me to pieces, I knew what I was looking for.

There she was. Just how I had last seen her.

Though her hair was longer and her dress made her shockingly breathless, I could still see the kind hearted soul underneath.

_She's the same._ I never thought something would make me so absolutely thankful. Her face was so vivid in my head, but this actual contact was incomparable.

Through my pink haze of adoration, I looked around me. I was being knocked back into reality and was suddenly furious. The house was cluttered with trashed students. Girls were dressed in knee highs or jean skirts and the boys were pining after them like dogs. The danger Mary-Lynnette had put herself in _frightened _me. I've stared a dragon in the face, and _this _is what frightened me.

Mary-Lynnette had enough people gunning after her and here she is. In belly of the beast of human aggression. Of human passion and danger. I knew it well enough.

I watched the boy next to her fondle over her with wide eyes. My fists tightened and I grit my teeth. I heard my younger sister whimper beside me.

_Watch out Ash_, I thought to myself as my uncontrollable anger fused throughout my body.


	5. Chapter 5: Coming Back

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**Mary-Lynnette**

Before I could even attempt to analyze the situation, he was beside me in a blur. I looked up in to those forever changing eyes, getting lost in them like pools of never ending darkness. His eyes were blazing with rage, but quickly softened with concern.

The guy I was talking to lurched forward, claiming his territory. Ash, ripped from his trance, pulled him aside by his collar. He dragged him by the heels to the side of the room, eyes narrowed. I saw Jade take a tiny step forward, as if there was something she could do. She was like a stunning panther lurking in the shadows, watching a great lion hone in on its prey. Ash felt the tension shift in the room, so he released the boy's collar.

Then I saw him lean forward to the boys ear and whisper something. The boys face showed an expression of sheer terror as he nodded quickly. Ash bit his lip, trying not to say anything he was going to regret. When the boy left in hysterics Ash made his way back to me, stiff as cardboard.

"What did you say to him?" I begged, my voice cracked.

"Can we just get out of here before I start a massacre." Ash whispered, trying to keep his cool. He floated his hand behind my back, avoiding any direct contact. I stood frozen, still in shock of his arrival. My hand reached out, my heart controlling it, and placed me palm lightly on his chest. He wanted to avoid contact, but I couldn't help myself. I closed my eyes, feeling an emptiness where his heart should be beating. I opened my eyes to see his eyes no longer filled with anger, but with a strong need.

For a moment our eyes met, and I knew I was about to crack. His stare broke and he looked around him at the staring faces.

"Please." he uttered, noticeably calmer than before. I nodded, leading us into a side study off of the living room. The room was deserted with papers cluttering the area. The office was small, but it felt good to get away from the stuffy rest of the house. My heart was pounding. This is it. This is the moment that I had been aching for, something to fill my heart.

"Wha-what are you doing here?" the only question sprang to my lips. My stuttering showed off my broken nerves.

"Would it surprise you if I told you that we're in trouble?" he leaned on the desk, crossing his arm. His lean cat-like body hunched in such a lazy manner. I let out a light laugh, surprising him slightly.

"Well, no. I can't say that I expected you to come back to sweep me up in your arms and carry me off into the sunset. I expected _this. _The apocalypse right?" I sighed, knowing the answer already. His eyes peered through the strands of hair across his forehead. He looked too incredibly handsome, I can't believe I went so long without seeing him. Knowing what I had lost...

"You know, sometimes people can surprise you." he responded.

Faster than I could blink he was beside me, scooping me up in his arms and meeting his lips to mine.

And that was it.

I melted like warm chocolate, molding to the shape of his arms. His lips were warm and melded into mine so perfectly. The pink haze clouded around us again, spreading like clouds throughout the room. Even though it was a year later, the spark didn't effect me. Not in the _bad_ way that is. I felt light as a feather in a place I couldn't describe. Like lightening bolts zinging through our bodies, tying us together with warmth and pleasure.

_If it's possible I think you're even more perfect, _his words electrified me like lodging my body into multiple electric sockets at once.

_I could say the same, _I still knew how to respond. Just a simple thought and he could hear it. Like talking in a dream.

We unlatched, though we both didn't want to. I felt tears spring to my eyes as I prepared to ask him the question that has always been burning at me since he left.

"Why didn't you come back?" I always tried to stay strong, for Mark and for the sisters. I refused to falter over a_ boy_, I knew they would think I had gone bonkers. Though I never felt _superior _to them, I knew they didn't know what I was going through. It was easy to live my life as I had before, it just felt like there was a hole through my body. Like a part of me was hollow. I never knew the true meaning of _ache_ until this past year. Now, my wall was breaking down, brick by brick.

He wiped away my tears with the edge of his thumb.

"I want to be what's best for you, Mare. And I can't do that without making amends with myself." he responded truthfully. His eyes showed it. Like a killer admitting he was wrong. And it was nothing that _I _did, it was something he wanted for himself. He just didn't want to be with me until he was the man he wanted to be. I nodded slightly, letting him know it was okay. That I'll forever be here for him, waiting.

"I still have -" he paused, looking for the right word. "_growing_ to do. But some things are more important." I nodded. The mission. Whatever he has to tell me, I know I can do it with him here.

I pushed through the tension, giving him a forceful kiss.


	6. Chapter 5: Coming Back cont

**Mary-Lynnette**

The sisters had joined us in the spare room, despising their brother's arrival. Rowan's face was twisted with curiosity and Kestrel's face looked agitated. Jade was hanging on Mark, excited to see him though this is probably the first time in months that they've been apart. It was clear that they didn't know he was coming.

"I've been informed of something new." Ash faced turned serious, but he still reached back, folding my hand into his. Kestrel sighed and looked annoyed, her attention swaying back towards the party. She was never really interested in Ash's involvement with the Daybreakers.

"And that's why you've come?" Rowan's attention peaked, her eyes widening with intrigue.

"Well-" Ash paused, glancing down at me. He's hiding something. And it's something I'm not going to like. His eyes flashed to a dark hazel as he finished the rest of his story. "Yes. They're starting an attack."

"They?" Jade's voice flooded with concern.

"Followers, I'm sure. People who support the darkness. They want to help make sure it happens by taking out the strongest fighters."

My mind molded the face of Thierry. His face sculpted like that of a God's, down to the perfect arc in his cheekbones. His eyes filled with a deep sadness from the years we know only little about, but his courage and kindness welded to conceal it. Any planning without him would be like a pack of chickens with their heads' cut off. We'd be powerless.

And – of course – to get to Thierry they'd have to go through...

I finally figured out what he had been hiding.

"You think they would come for you?" I asked meekly, avoiding the inevitable. Ash's eyes fell.

"I think they would go after anyone who would be a liability to Circle Daybreak." his jaw tightened as he spoke. "So, yes. I think they would come for me if they opportunity presented itself." The circle had definitely made an impact on him, it was apparent. I could see the old Ash lean back and let everyone else deal with the pressures of being a hero, and I could see that apart of him still wanted that, but he wasn't.

"So you _left_ LA?" Kestrel's interest peaked.

Rowan's eyebrows lifted as though she figured something out the rest of us didn't.

"I wanted to inform you personally." Ash spoke swiftly. Rowan's face tightened harder.

He's lying.

"I think we should talk about this somewhere more..." Rowan dainty looked around, noticing a few Peeking Toms in the far wall window.

"About this? Yes. I still have some fun to have." Kestrel was already out the door. I didn't exactly need vampire hearing to hear her calls and laughter. As Rowan hesitated Ash beat her to the door.

"Let her have her fun. It can't hurt." Ash flashed her one of those wicked smiles my heart's been aching for.

The next time we went back into the party, the air thickened with awkwardness. Nobody seemed to mind the girls, thinking they were just some drunk college girls walking back from the bars looking for fun. But Ash caused a disturbance. Kenny Meyers and two of his friends made their way through the crowd up to him.

Kenny was dumb as a rock, but he was still a nice kid. He stuck to the back, pulling at his friends to leave everything be and enjoy the party. He was clearly intoxicated beyond belief and he could hardly hold his drink straight. His one friend was the one who had been flirting with me earlier and the other was Tyler West. Tyler was one of those guys who didn't really care about anybody unless he wanted to. He also felt the need to intimidate anyone, like he had something to prove.

"Hey man, do we _know _you?" his voice edged on friendly, but was entirely suspicious. He pointed behind him as if to speak for everyone. I almost thought that Ash wasn't paying attention. His eyes were grazing the party and he was facing the far opposite wall.

"No." He said calmly, as if he were asked out for dinner next Tuesday. He really just didn't seem to care, he held no interest in college pride.

"Then I don't really understand what you're _doing _here." Tyler tightened his fists as a defense mechanism.

"I don't think this is a really good idea, Ty." the guy who had offered me the shot was wary, something about what Ash had whispered to him earlier had him spooked. He had the right idea.

"Well, I think it is. Seeing as how some people don't seem to understand when they're not invited."

Ash's eyebrows furrowed. "We were just leaving." He was fighting something I could only imagine, I figured. He looked cool and bored on the outside, but I bet his insides were boiling. Jade held Mark back in protection and Rowan stayed light on her toes, ready for anything.

"That's damn right you are." Tyler lunged with his clenched fist, his eyes bulging wide. Faster than I could blink, Ash was already out of the way. As if he had been standing there the whole time and Tyler had just horribly missed. I watched Tyler's disfigured fist crumble as Ash crushed it in his own. His eyes, now a flaming hot blue, looked uninterested. As if Tyler was an annoying puppy with a squeaky toy begging for a challenge.

"Don't." Ash's muscles flinched as he brought Tyler down to the floor with only the power of his arm. "Test. Me." Tyler's whole face calmed with a look of respect as Ash let go of his hand. Tyler cradled his hand in silence as Ash whipped past him like a breeze. I just noticed that the whole party had fallen silent.

I wasn't afraid of Ash. I was worried. Something is setting him on edge and it's something he's not telling me. The rest of us followed him out onto the porch, Rowan catching up to him. Jade and Mark folded me into their arms, with words of reassurance. I strained my ears to push past Mark's prodding voice and listen to Ash and Rowan.

I could only hear one thing, but I could be wrong.

"...protect her." Ash mouthed.


	7. Chapter 6: Dress

The ride back was mostly a blur of awkward silence. The vampires took the lead, smoothly getting everyone in the cars without a spoken word. Kestrel put up more of a fight than was needed, but reluctantly got in the car, waving her cupped hand at her adoring male crowd. She would rather leave with style than stay past her welcome. She would remain a gossip to those boys, a college memory that they would relay back to when they were in their thirties. A girl that no one else could measure up to.

The girls gracefully took their places in the car we had originally came in. Ash marched to the expensive looking car he must have brought with him, glancing sideways at me. When I squeezed myself in the back, he twisted his jaw and slid easily into the driver's seat. Mark followed, nuzzling into the passenger's seat.

This is something I figured I would never see. My brother and Ash sitting beside each other like it was just a great day for a drive. I had never envisioned how exactly my choice of companion would change my path with my family. If I had chosen a road in the future with a boy I met in class or a co-worker, what then? Mark would want something good for me, something normal. Someone who could possibly be a friend to him, a brother. It's a shame for him that there will never be someone normal like that for me.

Ash's driving was dreadful. He refused to stay in any single lane and wove through traffic like it was a video game. I tried not to breath too heavy or flinch at the windows when he drove too close to the other cars. I couldn't take the silence.

"What's going on?" The question was repetitive, but I had yet to receive a consistent answer.

No answer. The engine revved to increase his speed beyond one hundred. I was impressed to see that Rowan's classy petite sedan was managing to keep up. Mark looked uncomfortable as he looked back and forth between the two of us. I probed Ash from the back seat as he stayed silent. It was as if my words just reverberated off of him, though I knew he had to have heard me.

I turned to Mark, looking for any sort of verbal interaction. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"I had to tell him where you were, Mare. He was going to snap my neck off."

I couldn't help notice the smirk on Ash's profile. My heart fluttered, but my hand had a mind of it's own. I reached forward and tapped Ash's head with the palm of my hand.

"Ow." Ash responded with a flinch though he remained steady on the road. "I was never going to snap his neck off!"

Mark shrugged. "Could have fooled me." I almost went in for another slap.

"If anything I would have dragged you by your collar. But your head would still be firmly on." Ash spoke firmly, feeling the need to be literally justified. He sounded terse, annoyed by Mark's assumptions about his old self. There was a playfulness he was holding back, ready to surface. His personality was on a scale and he was struggling to balance.

"And you just _brought _him here? Did you print out MapQuest directions too?" If I was in imminent danger, I would have understood, but it wasn't looking that way. I saw no fire-breathing dragon, no bursting volcano, no zombie apocalypse. I just was not prepared for such an arrival from the last person I would ever expect.

"It didn't take that much _convincing._" Ash muttered. Mark looked at him with a look of betrayal. As if the previous car ride granted them some sort of bro code.

"Way to throw me under the bus." Mark pitched his voice high.

Ash shrugged. "Are you shocked?"

"You're lucky I didn't take a swing at you when you showed up at my doorstep, you know." Mark showed off his pathetic attempt at threatening pride.

"_Very _lucky." And, in return, Ash gave his attempt at sarcasm.

"You could have been in danger, Mare. He wasn't exactly sharing all the details." Mark returned to the former question, glancing back at me with his hands in the air. I locked eyes with him for a minute, considering what must have been going through his head when Ash showed up. Was he supposed to invite him in for a cup of coffee until I returned? I had trouble picturing Mark and Ash, curling up with warm drinks, chatting over the latest draft picks.

"Can you both stop talking about me as if I'm not here?" Ash muttered through clenched teeth.

"I will when you explain to me what you're doing here." I tried to keep my voice firm while my hands shook. My whole system was still in a slight form of comatose since his arrival. I was unsure why I was bothering with easing my need for answers. Ash had the look of a lip-locked murderer, at the stand with red hands, claiming he had no comment. I doubt he lost his quirky stubbornness.

"I should discuss this with my sisters first." I looked at him dumbfounded. _Oh I just love being second choice with the in-the-know,_ I thought sarcastically.

"Or maybe we should wait until everyone is calm." Mark slipped in a comment, hoping to separate the thick awkwardness between us.

"Or until we're suitably dressed." Ash made an under the breath comment meant to be heard. I looked down at the ensemble I was wearing because I had forgotten that I wasn't in my usual T-shirt and jeans.

How dare he. So is that what he came back here for? To cover me up, yank me out of a college party and scold me about the consequences of not following the finger-tip length rule? I imagined him holed up in some lavish hotel, sipping on aged scotch, noticing a blinking red light from somewhere unknown, alerting him that – the worst has happened – Mary-Lynnette decided to go out and have fun for once. And Ash can't have that.

Should I be mad? Or happy that he noticed what I was wearing? I sat and contemplated my feelings for the rest of the ride in silence. Ash and Mark mumbled a few directions here and there, but nothing more was said about Ash's arrival.

Once we pulled into the gravel driveway of the sisters' abode, I came to the conclusion that I am mad. If I don't get an answer by tonight, I will peak to furious.

The three of us jumped out of the car to seek sanctuary from the jail cell of awkward silence. I stumbled slightly, balancing on the peaks of my shoes. Ash looked at me for the first time since we left the party. His face was void of emotion, of empathy. His eyes were surprisingly dull, colorless. His gaze touched my thighs, exposed and shaking.

I was reminded of his comment. From the look in his eyes, I could see no determination to protect, no fear for my well-being like back at the party. I saw an actual, physical need. A sadness that he couldn't fulfill.

"I can ask Jade for some jeans, she's sure to have something." I spoke abruptly, feeling strange about addressing fashion. He looked away, clearing his throat.

"Fine." he strode away toward the stairs, whipping his face away from my timid stance. He was avoiding any chance that we might indulge in each other. That he might just push me up against the tree and kiss me. Once he slammed the door behind him I released a whoosh of air. _Relax. Relax. Relax. _I had to breath before my body came to grips with the real gravity of the situation.

He's here. He's _here. _

After months and months of creating a delusion in my head of his arrival, I wasn't prepared for it to actually happen. I imagined a world ending apocalypse, lava meshing out of cracks in the cement and people running around in rampage. I would look up into the darkened sky, knowing the end was upon me. At the final moment where I decide to give up, Ash would come swooping down in a helicopter, his hair battling the wind caused by the swirling wings of the loud, battling machine. We would proclaim our love over the sound of the whooshing engine as he lifts me up to safety.

I frowned at my past imaginations of perfection. Is that what I really wanted? False romanticism?

There was a fine line between what I believed would happened and what I wished. This current predicament was nestled right on that fine line, something I was not prepared for. What I wished for was simply an impossible fantasy and what I figured would actually happen was that he would forget about me. I hated thinking about it, because my heart felt on the brink of shattering completely, but it was the most likely outcome. Out of his entire existence, we had been physically together for mere weeks. Soulmate or not, how does a human like me make such an impression? He had no real, plausible reason to come back for me. He was clad, handsome, invincible and immortal. There is more to the world than what exists in Oregon and I was a poor fraction of the population that actually matter. Not to mention that I was detrimental to his existence in the Night World. Once kiss and he could be sentenced to death. His return had become a representation similar to the Holy Grail. It was a beautiful dream I had, but it wasn't something I counted on. Each night when I had to admit that to myself, I felt like my insides were bursting. Like the fact of not seeing him again was too big for my brain to even contemplate. And now I'm caught on the _fine line _of his arrival. Something I never expected. I was drowning. But I was happy.


	8. Chapter 6: Dress cont

I sat cross-legged on the living room floor of the sisters' living room. I had slipped on a pair of slinky sweatpants in order to keep the raging hormones dormant and my dress had tuned into a bunched up night shirt. I twitched uncomfortably, folding my legs beneath me tighter until my toes began to grow numb, along with my heart. My hair was matted with the smell of cigarette smoke and I had washed off every ounce of makeup in the bathroom. I looked like a hangover mess, minus the night of alcohol.

The room was chillingly silent. The Redferns let the Carters know that we weren't wanted in their family meeting. It was like an uneasy meeting of two families at a drawn-out wedding. The sisters and their insistent brother were dueling it out in the kitchen. They were silent for the most part, giving me a personal ride to a much needed mental institution. I was going insane not knowing, not being able to listen. Rowan had sat me down here on the floor like a puppy dog, obeying me to stay. The look in her eyes was collected, strong. We had locked looks and I felt as though she was trying to tell me that I wouldn't be so unknowing for very long. Rowan thought of me as one of her own sisters, she couldn't keep things from me.

Mark didn't seem that agitated. He got lost in the length of his fingernails as he started gnawing on each one. Apparently his nail epidemic was more devastating than the world's. I slapped him across his calf, bulging my eyes in disappointment. He shrugged with a '_what?' _look.

"Aren't you curious?" I whispered to his gestured question, as if the Redferns were trying to listen to _us_ and whispering would drive them crazy with curiosity.

"Mare. They're immortal superhumans. I think they can handle whatever the problem is." Mark liked having other people for problem solving. Life was easier that way.

"What if Jade has to leave? Isn't that important to you?" _Take that, dispassionate brother. _

"I would go with her." He looked back at his nails, spotting an oddly shaped one worth biting. It was that simple for him. _Sure, just leave everything and dive into the unknown with the first woman I've ever dated. _Is that what's twisting around in the gears in his head? He didn't hesitate. He didn't stutter. He was so sure about leaving, like it was deciding to pick up the pizza instead of getting it delivered. It was that easy. Why isn't it simple for me and Ash? Does Ash _want _me to leave with him?

"What about your life here?" I asked, almost pathetically. I had graduated. I had come full-circle with my adolescence. But what about Mark? I didn't know the road he was on and it scared me.

"Well apparently the sun is going to explode, or all the animals are going to escape every zoo across the country or a world of vampires, witches and shapeshifters are going to scour the land until not a human is left-"

"Melodramatic, much?" I interrupted, slightly laughing at the thought of an animal circus being the reason Ash had to come into town.

"I'm just saying. We're apart of something bigger. Something bigger than Mark's high school graduation with a 2.8 GPA." He pressed his hands to his thighs, relinquishing his nails to the air. His face was etched of stone, eyes focused on the swinging door of the kitchen. We had a moment of silence before my nerves fizzled.

"I can't wait anymore." My legs shot out beneath me. My feet were so numb even the thought of standing made me almost fall over.

"They're just settling a few things. They'll tell us what we need to know." Mark said cooly, knowing my balance was unreliable.

"Well I at least want to go in and make a cup of coffee."

Mark shot me a look that only a brother could give, mentally giving off the question, _really?_

I scrambled to my feet, fighting the tingles forming in my legs and inched to the door separating me and information. I pressed my ear to the door, feeling like an inexperienced detective who had run out of good ideas.

"Would you like a glass?"

"Oh, yes. Good idea."

"I'm kidding, Mare."

I balked, giving him a look that only an annoyed sister could give. It was all pointless. Even Nancy Drew couldn't figure out what these vampires were saying. I pressed my ear back to the wood anyway, listening to the muffled mumbling. Even the warped undertone of Ash's voice made my heart flutter. My cheeks burned and bumps began to rise on my arms despite the burning of my insides.

I struggled to listen a few more minutes until the door swung open with brute force, taking me be surprise. I stumbled forward, head first, exposing me for the Peeping Tom that I was. The sisters' eyes were on me like owls, wide with shocked suspicion. Kestrel glowered at me with irritation, her fingernails tapping on the wood of the door.

"Nice." Kestrel's voice simmered. "Can't have a family meeting without the sibling squad trying to inch their way in."

"Uh, I've been sitting here the whole time." Mark failed to defend me, despite the fact that we were just referred to as a 'squad'. Jade grinned with pride as if he just admitted to winning the Nobel Prize.

I stopped listening when I noticed that Ash was gone. The sisters kept rambling, bickering between each other. They were just background music to me, tunes you ignore while waiting in an elevator. Where did he _go?_ I scanned the kitchen, waiting for him to pop out of a cupboard - _I'm right here, silly. _

"It's not like she heard anything anyways. Human hearing is as useful as seeing to a bat." Jade insulted with a bob of her head. She could call you a moron to your face, but if she finished it up with a smile and a curtsy you'd forgive her.

Rowan was the only one who noticed my soundless panic. She arched an eyebrow at me with amusement. My relationship with her brother had become a sociological experiment for her. She had always referred to Ash as my _soulmate _when talking to me, as if it was vital information. I think she was curious about the force that drove us. The feeling that carried Ash into a new world of forgiveness. The pink haze that encapsulated us in our best moments was a cloud of curiosity for Rowan. Her own Riemann hypothesis she can only hope to solve.

If she ever does, I hope she'll share her notes because I'm just as lost.

"Well." Rowan sighed with soft conviction. "We have much to discuss."


	9. Chapter 7: Safehouse

_Thank you to all the followers and all the reviews. This is a project I've had for years and I still really do love it so I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read it, every word. Please review, because I love it more than anything, and keep reading because I will KEEP UPDATING! Thank you. _

_Footnote: I like to be as accurate as possible. Unfortunately, I can't remember everything. If something is against the facts of the books, please feel free to let me know because I will gladly edit to make everything linear. Thank you for your advice. _

* * *

**Ash Redfern **

_Damn. Damn. Damn. _

When the phone reached it's third ring I almost gripped the cellular so hard it could have broken in half. I've done it before.

I was speeding down the empty highway, one hand gripping the wheel with the other holding my phone.

"Oh, this ought to be good." Quinn answered the phone with a sly, smooth voice. He had changed slightly since his ill-fated run in with his soulmate, but he remained a class act of a vampire. His debonair demeanor was something to be jealous of.

"Have you talked to Forrester?" I pressured him without pleasantries. I highly doubted Forrester and Quinn had seen each other recently, let alone sharing schemes, but it was worth a shot.

"That rotten slob? You know better." I could actually hear him sneer.

"Where are you?" I preferred questions in this call, explanations can be later if he even chooses to wonder. He was the perfect person to call, he wouldn't ask questions up front.

"Las Vegas." I grimaced. He must be there for Circle Daybreak. He might even be at a meeting now and I haven't decided when I wanted to tell them about this new theory. I wanted to investigate into the truth instead of blurting a hypothesis to worry the masses. But safety for Mary-Lynnette is most important, be it truth or insane falsity.

"I need to safehouse." My voice was tense. I spotted a gas station and twisted the wheel at an impossible angle. I needed to fill my tank and stuff my trunk with human essentials, food and water. I listened to silence as Quinn was most likely debating what this was about.

"I have a high rise apartment in Los Angeles." Quinn's voice rose with suggestion, as if he had forgotten about his rent sucking purchase until just now.

"A _hideaway, _Quinn. Not a lavish home in the clouds in one of the most populated cities in the west."

"I'm the only one who knows about it. The only people I've ever taken there are..." he paused, realizing he's now a different man. _Dead_ was the word he was terrified to say. He had a pad where he took the unfortunate girls who fell for his alluring sap. I thought about the lies he had come up with, telling them he was an heir to an oil company fortune or that he made it big starting out as an extra on ER. I've seen the girls in tight skirts and plush lips, eyes sparkling with admiration of his lies. Our lives had changed.

I was too disgusted to bring Mary-Lynnette there. I refused. "It's too public." I lied.

"Thierry has a cabin in Colorado."

"No Thierry."

"Well what do you want me to tell you Ash? To go camp out in the wilderness like a pack of hobos?"

I hung up and tossed my phone onto the front seat.

_Thank you, Quinn. _


End file.
